VALVE DOOR WITH BALL COUPLING

• US 20080001113A1
• Filed: 06/24/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: KIM, SAM HYUNGSAM, Brown, Paul, Sterling, William N., Lee, Jae-Chull
• Granted Patent: US 7,845,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/303
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/2007 specially adapted operating means therefor operating means per se F16K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/2021 with a plurality of valve members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/2028 Details of bearings for the axis of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/205 the sealing being arranged on the valve member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/2078 Sealing means for the axis of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/24 with valve members that, on opening of the valve, are initially lifted from the seat and next are turned around an axis parallel to the seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations

Abstract

Embodiments of an apparatus for sealing a substrate transfer passage in a chamber are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for sealing a substrate transfer passage in a chamber includes an elongated door member coupled to an actuator by a ball joint. The ball joint is configured to allow movement of the door member relative to the lever arm around a center of the ball joint. In one embodiment, a sealing face of the elongated door is curved. In another embodiment, the chamber is one of a chemical vapor deposition chamber, a load lock chamber, a metrology chamber, a thermal processing chamber, or a physical vapor disposition chamber, a load lock chamber, a substrate transfer chamber or a vacuum chamber.

Claims

1. A chamber comprising:

a chamber body having a first substrate transfer port;

a door member having a sealing face positionable to selectively seal the first substrate transfer port;

a lever arm; and

a ball joint connecting the lever arm to the slit valve door, wherein the ball joint allows rotation of the lever arm around at least two axes.

2. The chamber of claim 1 further comprising:

a second ball joint; and

a second lever arm having a first end coupled to a second shaft disposed through the chamber body, and a second end coupled to a second end of the slit valve door member by the second ball joint.

3. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the chamber body further comprises:

a plurality of stacked single substrate transfer chambers.

4. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the sealing face is has a convex curvature.

5. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the chamber is one of a chemical vapor deposition chamber, a load lock chamber, a metrology chamber, a thermal processing chamber, or a physical vapor disposition chamber, a load lock chamber, a substrate transfer chamber or a vacuum chamber.

6. A processing system comprising:

a transfer chamber having a plurality of substrate transfer ports, at least one of the substrate transfer ports has a substantially flat sealing surface; and

a load lock chamber coupled to the transfer chamber, the load lock chamber comprising;

a chamber body having a first substrate transfer port and at least a second substrate transfer port;

a door member having a curved sealing face positionable against the flat sealing surface of the transfer chamber to selectively seal the first substrate transfer port;

a lever arm; and

a ball joint connecting the lever arm to the door member in a manner that allows the door member rotate relative to the lever arm around a center of the ball joint when the sealing face of door member flattens when forced into contact with the flat sealing surface of the transfer chamber.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the ball joint of load lock chamber further comprises:

a ball;

a carrier capturing the ball and allowing rotation of the ball therein; and

a shaft extending through the ball and carrier, the shaft coupling the door member to the lever arm.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the lever arm of load lock chamber further comprises:

a recess having the ball and carrier disposed therein.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the door member of load lock chamber further comprises:

a recess having a resilient bushing disposed therein, and wherein the shaft extends through a clearance hole formed through the resilient bushing to allow the shaft to move laterally relative to the door member.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the door member of load lock chamber further comprises:

a recess having the ball and carrier disposed therein.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the recess of the door member is formed in the sealing face outward of a sealing gland.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the lever arm of load lock chamber further comprises:

a recess having a resilient bushing disposed therein, and wherein the shaft extends through a clearance hole formed through the resilient bushing to allow the shaft to move laterally relative to the lever arm.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the ball and carrier are fabricated from stainless steel.

14. A method for sealing a substrate access port, comprising:

actuating a first lever arm and a second lever arm to rotate a curved sealing face of a door member into contact with a flat sealing surface, the lever arms coupled to the door member by respective ball joints; and

flattening the curved sealing face of the door member against the flat sealing surface to seal a substrate access port defined between a load lock chamber and a transfer chamber, wherein the flattening causes end portions of the door to rotate about the ball joints.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein flattening further comprises:

rotating the door member about a first axis defined through the ball joints to substantially align the face with the sealing surface; and

rotating the end portions of the door member about second and third axes defined through respective ball joints as the door flattens.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein flattening further comprises:

moving the ends of the door member laterally outward.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the ball joint includes a shaft extending through a ball, and wherein moving the ends of the door member laterally outward further comprises:

moving an end of the shaft outward, wherein the outward motion of the shaft rotates the ball.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein flattening further comprises:

rotating a ball disposed in a recess of the door member.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein flattening further comprises:

rotating a ball disposed in a recess of the lever arm.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein rotating the curved sealing face of the door member into contact with the flat sealing surface further comprises:

contacting a center portion of the door member to the flat sealing surface prior to contacting end portions of door member to the flat sealing surface, wherein the ball joints couple the ends of the door members to the lever arms.